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Tennessee PoliticsMon, 07 Apr 2014 14:51:50 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=3.6New York Times editorial highlights mosque opening; Haslam defends work with Muslimshttp://blogs.tennessean.com/politics/2012/new-york-times-editorial-highlights-mosque-opening-haslam-defends-work-with-muslims/
http://blogs.tennessean.com/politics/2012/new-york-times-editorial-highlights-mosque-opening-haslam-defends-work-with-muslims/#commentsMon, 20 Aug 2012 15:23:49 +0000Chas Siskhttp://blogs.tennessean.com/politics/?p=17889Tennessee’s relationship with its Muslim community is back in the news again this Monday.

The Times says constitutional protections for religion ultimately prevailed in the two-year battle — though the outcome was not a certainty.

“With patience and dignity, the Islamic Americans of Murfreesboro learned the hard way the endless American lesson that constitutional rights don’t come guaranteed.”

The Times also links the mosque battle to this year’s 6th Congressional District primary, arguing that U.S. Rep. Diane Black’s win over Lou Ann Zelenik was also a victory for religious freedom.

The editorial comes as Republicans are attempting to put out a fire over Gov. Bill Haslam’s willingness to work with Tennessee Muslims. The Tennessee Republican Party is circulating a letter from Haslam deputy Claude Ramsey that explains the administration’s work with the American Muslim Advisory Council, a citizen’s group.

According to the letter, state officials and the organization have discussed law enforcement and children’s services, but he says that does not constitute an endorsement of their religion.

“(T)here is no effort by the Haslam administration, the State of Tennessee, or any agency or department of the State to promote or advance Sharia law or Sharia compliant finance. The promotion or advancement of religious ideology is an inappropriate role of state government that is unacceptable, and will not happen during this administration.”

The letter also offers another defense of the hiring of Samar Ali, a Tennessee-born Muslim who oversees the state’s overseas trade offices.

A link to the Times editorial is here. Links to Ramsey’s letter are here and here.